


Soul Tied

by SyberJedi



Category: Battlestar Galactica (1978), Battlestar Galactica - All Media Types
Genre: Battlestar Galactica 1978, M/M, Soulmarks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-28 13:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8448700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SyberJedi/pseuds/SyberJedi
Summary: Starbuck and Apollo discover that they have a soulmate.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I've recently read a bunch of fanfics about soul mates. They all had the same basic ideas inherent in all of them, a type of tattoo that the character is either born with, or has form on them at a certain age. The tattoo is either a name, the first thing said to the character who is their soulmate, the last thing said to them by their soulmate; or a bit rarer, a symbol that both soulmates have. Then there are those that have a timer, where there is a countdown to when one will meet their soulmate. Lastly, there are those out there where one sees in black, white and shades of grey until their soulmate is met. Soulmates can either be platonic or romantic. I will let the reader decide if the soulmates in this story are either romantic or platonic.

Disclaimers: I do not own this at all, except for the story idea. The characters are not mine. The setting is not mine.

 

 

Apollo was always fascinated by the tattoo that adorned his mother's collarbone. It read, in a small yet elegant script, Adama. He knew that his father had one as well, a flowy hand that read Ila. He also knew that it was rare outside of the Noble Houses of the Twelve Colonies for people to have soulmarks. When he was a small child, he would ask his mother continually about when he would get his soulmark. Ila would tell Apollo that if he had a soulmate, the mark would appear when he turns eighteen yahrens old.

  
As he grew older, Apollo's interest in soul marks and soulmates ebbed. The war with the Cylons was going badly, and those who were lucky enough to have a soul mark usually did not have the time to try and find their soulmate. The war was more important. Survival was far more important.

  
When he was seventeen, Apollo entered the Academy.

 

*************

 

Starbuck knew next to nothing about soulmarks. None of the caretakers in the orphanage had one. To him it was a myth, a story to share with the little children to keep them quiet when one was hiding in a shelter during Cylon bombing runs. He knew that only those born to Noble Houses developed them, when they reached a certain age. However, that was all that Starbuck knew, so he did not bother to think of it as he grew older.

  
Growing up in an orphanage was tough. The older children were expected to help with the younger children. Schooling often took a backseat to care taking. Most of the orphans had no chance of getting into the Academy. It cost too much money, and it usually took a sponsor of some sort. Occasionally, a rare gifted student would come along and would manage to win a scholarship, provided it was something that the student truly wanted and was willing to work for. Most of the time though, the student was too tired to be willing to put in the needed effort. However, Starbuck was one of the rare exceptions. He wanted nothing more than to fly a Viper, and to take the war to the Cylons.

  
His age unknown, Starbuck was figured to be about sixteen when he won a full ride scholarship to the Academy on Caprica.

 

**************

 

The new yahren at the Academy started cycles before Apollo's eighteenth novayahren. Apollo had just found the room he was assigned to. No one else had arrived as yet, so he had no idea to the identities of his roommates. Apollo hoped that one of them, if not both of them, would be someone he knew. He was a rather private person, and it was hard for him to open up to people. He went on into the room, and laid claim to the single berth.

  
A few centari later, a dark skinned young man arrived at the room and entered in.

  
"Apollo?" The new arrival exclaimed, a smile crossing his face.

  
Apollo turned around, and grinned.

  
"Boomer! You bunking here too?" He asked his friend. Apollo was relieved.

  
"It looks that way." Boomer replied. He shoved his gear on the top bunk of the double berth. "Any ideas as to the identity of our other roommate?"

  
Apollo barely managed to get out the word none, when another voice interrupted him.

  
"That would be me." interposed a third voice. Boomer and Apollo turned towards it, their eyes going wide at the sight of the new arrival. The new arrival was of a height with them, slightly taller than Boomer. He had brilliant blue eyes, and golden blond hair. However, both boys noted the guarded look in the eyes, and that the clothes were decent but well worn.

  
Boomer stepped towards the door, moving so that he was between Apollo and the newcomer.

  
"Hello. I'm Boomer, and that's Apollo." Boomer introduced himself and his friend.

  
"I'm Starbuck." The blond answered, as he strolled into the room. His expression was wary.

  
"It's good to meet you." Boomer responded. He pointed towards the double berth. "The bottom berth is free."

  
"That works for me." Starbuck headed towards it. Both Apollo and Boomer noticed that the new arrival only had a small duffle containing a few possessions.

  
"So, I'm guessing that you're new here?" Apollo finally asked.

  
Starbuck whirled, his posture defensive. Boomer prepared to spring if it looked like the new boy was going to attack his friend.

  
"Just because I'm new, and came from no one, it doesn't mean that I don't belong here. I earned my place here at the Academy, so don't think I'm going to be your errand boy." the blond snarled at his roommates.

  
Apollo stepped backwards, raising his hands up in a surrender motion.

  
"Neither of us would ever do that. I bet that's why you were assigned to this dorm." Apollo stated, his voice quiet. He canted his head, as he studied Starbuck. "My father told me that he was sponsoring a new cadet to the Academy. An orphan that showed great talent. I'm betting it's you."

  
"What's your father's name?" Starbuck asked, as he started to relax. Neither Apollo or Boomer had made any moves towards him at all.

  
"Adama. Commander Adama of the Galactica." was the answer that Apollo gave him.

  
"Frack. That's the name of my sponsor." the blond admitted. Starbuck sighed. "I guess I'll have to give you special favors, then."

  
"NO!" Apollo almost yelled. "You do not. I won't. My father sponsors a new cadet every six yahrens. And he doesn't sponsor family members, either. My sponsor is Sire Adar. The only thing I ask from you is to try and be my friend."

  
Starbuck looked astonished.

  
"All you want is to be friends?"

"Yes. That's all. Boomer too."

  
Boomer nodded his agreement.

  
"Okay. I can do that." Starbuck agreed. "Friends it is then."

 

****************

 

Apollo woke with a sharply drawn breath, as a red hot pain shot across his skin along his collarbone. Trying to be as quiet as possible, he crawled out of his bed, and went into the washroom. Turning on the light, he went and stood in front of the imager. Apollo pulled his pajama top to one side, and gave a hiss of pain as he watched his soulmark come in.

  
Recalling what his mother had told him, Apollo wet a cloth with cool water, and placed it over the reddened skin. It helped, some. However, a knock on the door interrupted him.

  
"Apollo, let me in." Boomer's voice could barely be heard through the door. Apollo opened the door, and let in the dark skinned boy.

  
"I heard you get up. When you didn't return to your berth, I decided to check on you." Boomer admitted. "Is everything alright?"

  
"My soulmark is forming." Apollo admitted. "I didn't know how painful it would be."

  
"Leave it to you to have a soulmate." Boomer gently teased his friend. He watched as Apollo blushed. "By the way, happy novayahren."

  
"Thanks Boomer." Apollo replied, giving the other boy a shy smile. "It's not hurting so much anymore."

  
"Let's see the name of your soulmate then."

  
Apollo turned back towards the imager, and removed the damp cloth before sharply inhaling at the name he saw along his collarbone.

  
Starbuck.

  
"You can't tell him." Apollo declared, almost panicking. "I like Starbuck a lot, but not in a romantic sense."

  
"It's alright, Pol. I won't tell him." Boomer agreed. "I know that there are platonic soulmates. He might not though. So I promise not to tell him."

  
"Thanks, Boomer."

  
"We better head back to bed before he wakes up, or he'll think we're up to something."

  
"Yeah. Sleep well."

  
Apollo turned off the light, then he and Boomer slipped out to return to their berths.

  
************

 

Starbuck stood on the balcony of his room, looking out at the waves cresting before sliding up on to the sand of the beach. He went back inside, and looked around the room. It was his to use, all to himself, whenever he was there. The room even had it's own private washroom. Ila, Apollo's mother, had told Starbuck that he would be welcome to personalize the room, if he so chose. He was amazed that Apollo's family had opened their arms to him, and accepted his role in Apollo's life.

  
After he had finished using the turboflush, and was coming out of the washroom when Starbuck felt a sharp pain erupt across his collarbone. A small, but sharp cry of pain escaped from him, just loud enough to resound through his room.

  
Ila was walking down the hallway, passing the door that led to Starbuck's room, when she heard the cry come from within it. She came to a stop, and knocked on the door.

  
"Starbuck, are you alright?" Ila asked. His door slid open, allowing her access.

  
"I don't know what is happening to me." Starbuck stepped away from the door, allowing Ila access. "I have this burning in my skin."

  
Ila could see the pain that crossed the younger man's face, and noticed where he was holding his collarbone. It was in about the same area on her where the name Adama marked her skin.

  
"Come with me, and remove your shirt. I do believe I know what is happening, and I know how to treat it." Ila headed into Starbuck's washroom. "Sit down after you get your shirt off."

  
Starbuck did as he was told, even as he felt another firey line of pain loop upwards. He watched as Ila turned on the cold water tap, and ran it at full strength even as she grabbed out a washcloth. After thoroughly soaking it, she wrung it out, and placed it across Starbuck's reddened skin.

  
"What's happening?" Starbuck wanted to know, breathing in a slight sigh of relief as the cold cloth eased the pain slightly.

  
"It's a soulmark, Starbuck." Ila answered. "Today must be your eighteenth novayahren. Soulmarks, if one is lucky enough to have a soulmate, appear on your eighteenth. So, now we know when you were born, and your exact age. And in a little bit, we will know who your soulmate is. So, what would you like for dinner, and what is your favorite kind of cake?"

  
Starbuck was taken slightly aback. While Ila had asked him what kind of things he liked to eat since he had arrived within her household, she had never planned a meal around his just his favorites. Also, the information that he had a soulmark astonished him. Soulmarks were a myth, and something only the members of a Great House had, occasionally.

  
Ila watched the expressions that crossed Starbuck's face, and felt just a bit sorry for the young man. She turned away from him for a moment, to wet another cloth.

  
"Give me that one, and place this one over that spot on your chest." Ila instructed, her voice gentle. "Let me guess, you were never taught about soulmarks in the orphange you were raised in?"

  
"Not really. They were thought to be a myth. No one had one." Starbuck replied. "None of our caretakers had one, and there weren't any children there pass the age of sixteen."

  
"None older than sixteen?" Ila was appalled.

  
"Most of us, including myself, usually had headed off to jobs, or into the military by the time we were about seventeen." Starbuck explained. "I wanted to fly a viper, so I worked hard to win a scholarship to get into the Academy. Not that there aren't enlisted pilots, but I wanted to be an officer."

  
Starbuck paused, as he hissed in pain. He let Ila check the forming mark.

  
"Why do you want to know what I would like for dinner, and what kind of cake I would prefer?"

  
"When we celebrate someone's novayahren, we always have their favorite things for dinner. And we always have their favorite kind of cake for dessert. Since today is your novayahren, you get to choose." Ila placed her hand on Starbuck's cheek.

  
"I thought the Commander was arriving this afternoon?"

  
"He is, and we can enjoy his favorites tomorrow for dinner. Today is your special day, and I know that Adama would insist on the changes. You're part of our family now. Apollo saw to that. I know that Adama is your Academy sponsor, but we usually don't have those that he sponsors to stay with us. You are the first one to do so."

  
"Oh." Starbuck looked at Ila with amazement. Then he noticed that the pain had eased up. "It's stopped hurting."

  
"Then let's take a look at the name of your soulmate." Ila held out her hand for the damp cloth that Starbuck was holding. When she saw the name Apollo, she realized exactly why her son had brought Starbuck home, and what he had not told her.

  
"Ila, does that say what I think it does?" Starbuck was looking at his soulmark.

  
"Yes it does." Ila watched the younger man. "Starbuck, soulmates don't have to be romantic. There are platonic soulmates as well. And I think that's the type you two are."

  
"I need to tell him, don't I?" He wanted to know.

  
"Yes you do. And Apollo needs to tell you." Ila asserted. "However, I think you should talk with him privately."

  
Ila walked into the main room, and heard the muffle sound of Athena yell "Daddy!" as the girl ran passed the door.

  
"I'll send Apollo to you. Right now would be the best time. If you like, I'll fill in Adama." Ila turned to head out of the room. However, before she could open the door, she was gently tugged backwards and enveloped in a hug.

  
"Thank you Ila." Starbuck murmured, even as he wrapped his arms around the older woman.

  
"You are oh so welcome Starbuck." Ila replied, before slipping free and exiting the room. Apollo had just exited his set of room, which were across the hall from the ones that belonged to Starbuck.

  
"Mom?" Apollo questioned his mother, having seen her exiting.

  
"Apollo, you need to go talk to Starbuck. It's important." Ila told him, even as she turned to go to the stairs. However, she paused long enough to brush her fingertips over Apollo's collarbone, hidden under his shirt. "I'll go talk to your father. He'll understand." She then headed down the stairs, not giving her oldest son a chance to say anything.

  
Apollo watched his mother head on down, to join Athena and Zac with welcoming Adama home. He took a deep breath, then went on across the hall towards Starbuck's door and knocked on it.

  
"Apollo?" He heard faintly through the door.

  
"Yeah, it's me. Can I come in, Starbuck?"

  
"Sure. It's open."

  
Apollo opened the door, and slipped into the room. He closed the door behind him, and locked it, mainly to keep his sister and brother out.

  
"Mom said that I needed to talk to you." Apollo declared, even as he made his way further into the room. He could see his friend was over by the window, looking outside, before noticing that Starbuck was not wearing a shirt. "Starbuck, did something happen?"

  
"Yeah, you can say that." Starbuck responded, not turning around. "I discovered that today is my eighteenth novayahren, Apollo."

  
"How did you find that out?" Apollo wanted to know, slowly crossing the room towards his friend. He watched as the blond turned around to face him, and spotted the mark that crossed his friend's reddened collarbone.

  
"Starbuck, does that say what I think it says?" Apollo wanted to know. "Is that my name I'm seeing there?"

  
"You tell me." Starbuck retorted. "Are you marked with my name?"

  
Reaching up to unbutton the top couple of buttons of his shirt, Apollo bared the skin of his collarbone where the name Starbuck sprawled in a surprisingly elegant script.

  
"Apollo....." Starbuck started to say, even as his friend finished making his way over towards him. He then found himself engulfed in a hug.

  
"You're my best friend, Starbuck. I feel extremely lucky that you are also my soulmate." Apollo told his friend. "From here on out, where I go, you go. Where you go, I go. They won't separate us. They can't."

  
Starbuck stepped back and nodded his agreement. He then pulled the shirt he was wearing earlier back on.

  
"Apollo, how long have you known?" Starbuck wanted to know. "And does anyone else know, besides your mother?"

  
"I've known since I turned eighteen. Boomer also knows, but he will keep it to himself. Neither of us were one hundred percent positive that my mark was referring to you. After all, there have been other Starbucks out there." Apollo answered, explaining. "Oh, I will let you know this- it's not common place for soulmates to find one another so quickly. Usually it's several yahren before they do. And a lot of them never find their soulmates, not if they're Warriors. My parents, and now us, are unusual in that regard."

  
"Is that why you said that they won't separate us?"

  
"Yes. They try to keep soulmates together as best as possible, when both are Warriors. They're usually at least assigned to the same ship."

  
"I guess we should go on down and greet your father."

  
"Probably a good idea. He'll want to give you a proper welcome into the family."

  
Apollo and Starbuck left Starbuck's room, and headed on downstairs. Zac was waiting for them at the bottom.

  
"Mom and Dad are in the dining room, waiting for both of you." The younger boy informed them. "Did you do something to get into trouble?"

  
"No, we didn't." Starbuck ruffled Zac's hair. "You'll find out later, at dinner."

  
"Are you sure? They made Athena leave, along with me. And that only happens when someone is in trouble." Zac continued.

  
Apollo looked at his brother, then back at Starbuck. He gave a shrug, letting his friend handle the situation.

  
"I swear, we're not in trouble." Starbuck assured Zac. "In fact, I can promise you this- we're going to have a chocolate and kirasolis cake for dessert after dinner tonight."

  
"But we usually have Dad's favorite dessert on his first night home." Zac exclaimed.

  
"You'll find out why, later. Go play now, and let Apollo and I go talk with your parents." Starbuck shooed Zac off, gently.

  
Zac did as he was told, heading towards the playroom he shared with Athena.

  
"You have far more patience with my siblings than I do." Apollo declared, as they headed for the dining room.

  
"I like both of them. They're great." Starbuck smiled. "Besides, I'm used to dealing with children."

  
Ila was watching for them, and closed the dining room door, once they had entered in. Adama was in the far corner, holding a bright red drink in his hand.

  
"Come in. There is no need to hold on ceremony." Adama greeted them. He then fixed each of them something non-alcoholic to drink. "So, what is the news you both have? Ila wouldn't tell me."

  
Apollo took the offered drink, taking a swallow of it. Starbuck took his and sat it down. His attention was completely on his sponsor.

  
"Back on my novayahren, I had a soulmate mark form." Apollo finally spoke after a moment. "Until today, only Boomer knew of it."

  
Adama nodded. He recalled, very well, when his soulmark formed. He looked over his son's head, and smiled at his own soulmate. Ila returned it with one of her own.

  
"Continue, please."

  
Starbuck took a small step forward, suddenly feeling somewhat bashful.

  
"Just a short while ago, I felt this burning sting start crossing my collarbone. This is what Siress Ila and I discovered, once the pain stopped." Starbuck tugged his shirt collar to one side, revealing Apollo's name decorating his skin.

  
Apollo moved to stand next to Starbuck, and did the same. Adama could read Starbuck on his son's skin. He looked at both of them, then nodded.

  
"It is up to you both on how you proceed with the relationship between you two. I will contact all of the relevant people, letting them know." Adama informed them. "You'll be kept together, unless you both decide otherwise."

  
Adama stepped over to Starbuck, and gave the younger man a brief hug.

  
"Welcome to the family Starbuck, and happy novayahren." He told the blond.

  
"Thank you Sir." Starbuck replied, once he had been released. He smiled at Adama. "Thank you."

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know I slanted them towards a platonic relationship in this story, but that does not mean that their relationship won't change as they grow older.
> 
> Colonial Lexicon:  
> Yahren- year  
> Novayahren- birthday  
> Kirasolis- candy similiar to caramel
> 
> These are taken from the novel Battlestar Galactica: Armageddon by Richard "Apollo/Tom Zarek" Hatch, and Christopher Golden.


End file.
